Jay Brannan to Release Debut Album goddamned This Summer

 

I was starting to worry about cutie, gay singer Jay Brannan: Post-Shortbus, he's been hustling for his career in music - we covered Jay's Unmastered EP, and we interviewed him for NewNowNext NOISE - and it looks like he's felt the pressure of the biz. On Jay's MySpace, he sings he kind of just wants to be a guacamole-making "housewife," and in March, he posted a blog entry titled Album Schmalbum. ... Don't give up, Jay!

Well, Jay didn't give up, and his full-length debut, called goddamned, is officially happening. He produced the album on his own label called - oh, Jay, cheer up! - Great Depression Records. Jay will also go on tour this summer starting July 11, right after goddamned's release.

And now enjoy the music video for "Body's a Temple" - which is kind of old, I know ...

 

 

And check Jay's tour dates and locations after the jump...

 

New Gay Music Vlog! Homophonic: Going Deep With Deepa Soul

-- Brian Juergens from AfterElton.com

We're excited to be bringing you a new weekly video blog that focuses on the world of out gay musicians. The aptly-titled Homophonic series, brought to you by the Angry Puppy vlog's Lee and his Archy and Mehitabel bandmate Alex, will take you behind the scenes and into the recording studios of some of the freshest queer musicians out there. I'll let Lee tell you what's in store for the maiden voyage...

How awesome is this?!  Fresh from her first live show in over 3 years, LGBT music goddess Deepa Soul sat down with Alex in our studio last week and dished deep. From her not-so-humble beginnings dancing go-go in San Fran to her epic collaborations with Junior Vasquez, Deepa kept our jaws hanging open with one legendary tale after another.

 

The Ones "When We Get Together" Video: Gays, Gays & More Gays

 

So many done-up, gay artistes in one studio! Step ... away ... from the baby oil. The "Flawless" New York music trio The Ones - we love Nashom, Jojo and Paul here at NNN.com, of course - released its debut, self-titled album earlier this year, and "When We Get Together" is the group's latest single.

Not like Confessions on a Dance Floor, but it's just as gay: The video is so loaded with gay cameos/friends of the group, I don't know where to begin. The Ones know how to have fun with their friends, and what's more fun than getting oiled up and eye-f*cking the camera? Everyone loves that - and everyone's so shiny!

 

So you can't miss Debbie Harry, but I also spot porn-star-turned-singer Colton Ford, rapper Cazwell, "the real" Ari Gold ... Scissor Sisters. Hmm ... Johnny McGovern?

 

Don't Put Away Your Skates Just Yet: Xanadu Leads Sign on Through 2009

-- Brian Juergens from AfterElton.com

Yes, the Little Gay Rollerskating Musical That Could, Broadway's insanely camp Xanadu musical, has secured all of its leads through January of aught nine. Out lead Cheyenne Jackson, impossibly Newton-Johnny Kerry Butler, Tony Roberts, and bookend divas Mary Testa and Jackie Hoffman have all renewed their contracts through next year.

 

Gossip Interview With NewNowNext!

 

The crazy-cool queer rockers of Gossip stopped by MTV studios last week - they're the official Artist of the Week, B.T.W. - and NewNowNext snuck in for a quick chat. Front woman Beth Ditto is, of course, the Coolest Person in Rock ... and Brace and Hannah were just as chill and funny. We love 'em!

 

 

Gossip is probably known most for its insane live shows - I caught them last week in NYC, and it's an experience - so I asked them about concert audiences, as well as their political stances and where they fall on the Kinsey Scale...

 

And watch the official Gossip video for "Listen Up!" & and a live performance of "Standing in The Way of Control" after the jump!

 

Cheyenne Jackson Joins Shifting the Canvas Cast

-- Brian Juergens from AfterElton.com

Boy, this project just keeps sounding better and better!

The other day we reported that out cutiepants Matthew Montgomery had joined the cast of the upcoming gay indie Shifting the Canvas as Scott Thompson's lover, and now the news has hit that local favorite Cheyenne Jackson will also appear in the film as a "straight Ivy League type". Sign us up!

 

Daily Buzz Bits: Rufus Goes Green; Heatherette Closing Down?

 

Oh, if only this were true: The Globe – I know; stop me now – reports Mariah Carey is secretly dating Da Brat. – Boy Culture

Lance Bass is just recyclin' these cute men. - Towleroad

Rufus Wainwright is kind of scaring me on the cover of The Advocate's green issue. - Queerty

Dove's Fresh Takes star Alicia Keys told Blender magazine gangsta rap was a ploy by the government to "convince black people to kill each other." – E!

Oh, no! Clothing label Heatherette – headed by NYC gays Richie Rich and Traver Rains – may be closing down. - Radar 

From their U.S. album Konk, listen to the Kooks' "Tick of Time" track. - Stereogum

 

Daily Buzz Bits: Tila Tequila Is "Paralyzed"; John Mayer Is Bi?

I'd embed "bisexual" personality Tila Tequila’s new "Paralyze" music video, but -yawn- this one doesn’t even have a stripper pole in it. - Dailymotion

This is both hot and disgusting: Perez Hilton swears he made out with John Mayer. – USWeekly

Rihanna looked beautiful, as usual, filming the video for new ballad "Take a Bow," which will be on her Good Girl Gone Bad re-release. – Just Jared

Do the Naomi Campbell walk ... directly to jail! Yes, the BlackBerry-throwing supermodel beat down a police officer on a British Airways Flight. Can't wait for the mug shot! - Dlisted

Stephen Colbert told R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe if he wrote about girls, his songs would be more successful ... except for that whole gay thing. - Jezebel

NewNowNext NOISE: Gay Pop-Culture Video Blog - Our Favorite Covers!

Since we've heard so many lately, John and I are talking the good, the bad and the how-did-this-ever-happen of music covers!

We've got some Dolly, some Fall Out Boy, some Britney ... How did Jessica Simpson get in there!?

Daily Buzz Bits: Jay Leno's Sorry and 90210's Newest Member

Enjoy some new Gossip Girl promo shots - still no word if Blake Lively's little bro will be the series' promised gay character. - ONTD

Jay Leno said asking for Ryan Phillippe's gayest look "was a dumb thing to say" and he "didn't mean any malice." – Towleroad

Does gay Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson admitting Popeye turned him on mark a shift in Hollywood's "pink perspective"? - Queerty

This Dustin Milligan kid is the first official cast member of the upcoming 90210 series. - Dlisted

And here's a new teaser for Madonna's upcoming Hard Candy album - and it's hot and sticky! ... Am I too obsessed? - Boy Culture

Watch The B-52s "Funplex" Music Video! Thrill, Thrill!

Fred says: Segway to warp speed! Back to Georgia roots, the new video from loopy "pleasure seekers" The B-52s is all about rampaging your local mall, and it features all the space-traveling psychedelics I'd expect from The Ultimate Party Band. They're still causin' a riot!

Funplex, the band's first studio album in 16 years, is still available for preview on LOGOonline ... and soon enough, The B-52s will join Cyndi Lauper on the True Colors tour. Now enjoy the wackiness...

Hear The B-52s Funplex ... Plus Kate Pierson on Her Coming Out!

You may have caught NewNowNext.com's interview with Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider of cosmic pop-punk party band The B-52s a while back, but check out this mini-revelation: The always queer-friendly group has a new, official gay!

And more news: The band's Funplex album - its first new material in 15 years! - came out this week. Faster, pussycat! We love these gays! And don't miss the "Funplex" music video world TV premiere on LOGO ... on NewNowNext Music Sunday night!

R.E.M.-Fest! Interview on Accelerate and New Technologies!

With the band's 14th album, Accelerate, due April 1, R.E.M. and gay front man Michael Stipe know how to keep up with the times. Not only did Michael release that blog-y confession - the other members of R.E.M. are, shockingly, heterosexual - the band is also letting Facebook users hear Accelerate before it comes out.

The guys also did an interview with MTV.com, and I embedded the four-parter here - as well as some pictures from arecent performance at The Apple Store in London. In this first clip, they talk about the new rock-ier sound and about re-imagining themselves as a three-member band. ...

The rest of the interview - and more pictures - after the jump...

George Michael's American Tour

-- Craig Young from AfterElton.com

George Michael fans will be happy to know that his career is experiencing a new life.  He recently announced the dates of his upcoming American tour.

George Michael, the talented and amazing artist, was never in doubt. He created a string of hits first as lead singer of Wham! and later in his solo career. This is a guy who took Elton John’s Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me and made it his own.  That’s no small feat.

(After the jump ... along with some classic concert footage.)

Daily Buzz Bits: Tyra Has a Stalker; David Hernandez Is a Lease Boy?

The Hills starts up again tonight, and The New York Times called Heidi Montag a feminist icon and Whitney Port a Shakespearean mute. So much credit! -€“ NY Times

And Audrina: Ix-nay on the someone-cast-you-as-Lauren's-friend-ay. - Radar

Idol reject and stripper David Hernandez might be auditioning for Rent/makes lame jokes. - Towleroad

Yikes! Call Miss Jay for protection! Tyra Banks' stalker - who'€™s out on bail -€“ showed up to her studio with a duffel bag of Ty-Ty magazine clips and notes about trying to contact her. -€“ NY Post

OK, TMZ,€“ I'€™ll give you the "bi, bi, bi" is brilliant. ...And couldn'€™t Chace Crawford feed the rumors a little? Ride the gay-character buzz for Gossip Girl'€™s sake! - TMZ

George Michael announced a 20-concert tour for the U.S. in support of his new greatest hits album. - Towleroad

NewNowNext NOISE Interviews Johanna and JD of MEN and Le Tigre!

Continuing our series of rapid-fire interviews with hot, up-and-coming gay, and gay-loving, artists and musicians, here's another NewNowNext NOISE exclusive! This time we've got Johanna Fateman and JD Samson of Le Tigre and DJ-ing effort MEN.

John Polly caught up with the duo in Brooklyn to discuss their DJ skills, their love of New York and how they've learned to think like MEN.

Catch the video interview after the jump!

NewNowNext NOISE Interviews The B-52s - Plus Hear Full Funplex Album!

They're the World's Greatest Party Band ... they're "lovin' in the Year 3000" ... they're hot-pink! Yes, all of those things describe The B-52s, and along with this special NewNowNext NOISE interview with members Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider, LOGOonline has the full Funplex album stream. It's a B-52s love-fest!

We snagged Kate and Fred for a quick second to discuss their new tracks and The B-52s' overall gay-ness.

Watch the video interview after the jump!

T.R. Knight's Dark, Carbonated Past: Dr. Pepper, Highlights & Women

-- Brian Juergens from AfterElton.com

The other night TBS ran one of those "funniest commercials" specials (hosted by Kathy Griffin, no less) and one of the ads caught our eye, as it starred a pre-fame T.R. Knight as a man whose dismay that his girlfriend and her dog are taking over his apartment can be soothed only by the sweet, sweet nectar of Diet Dr. Pepper.

Of course, being the amateur semioticians that we are, we dug for any subtext that we could find in the ad that would hint that the actor would eventually come out as the biggest gay-type-person on television*.

Check out the ad after the jump...

Daily Buzz Bits: Michael Stipe's Still Gay, Madonna's The Dolla

Does Madonna’s wrestling belt for Hard Candy suggest her next reincarnation: "M-Dolla?" - Towleroad

Scarlett Johansson’s album is ... still happening, apparently; here are some promo shots for Anywhere I Lay My Head, due May 20. - ONTD

LCD Soundsystem has a new video for "Big Ideas," which will be on the 21 movie soundtrack. - Pitchfork

Tim Gunn called Project Runway winner Christian Siriano the Marc Jacobs of the new generation. He was always so obsessed with him, wasn't he? - Queerty

The trailer for Blueberry Nights, posted here, doesn't thrill me, but it’s Natalie Portman as a down-on-her-luck gambler, so I can't argue. - ONTD

R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe came out ... again? Accelerate is due April 1, and Michael told Spin magazine, 'Now I recognize that to have public figures be very open about their sexuality helps some kid somewhere out there.' - Dlisted

NewNowNext NOISE Interviews Gay Pop Act Hey Willpower!

For this A.M., we've got another NewNowNext NOISE gay-artist interview for ya! Recently John Polly cornered gay musician Will Schwartz of hey willpower before his Brooklyn show and asked the boy some major questions - mainly, if being a musician gets him extra action!

OK, there was more to the interview than that - and Will is a total sweetie ... and he's touring like crazy! Here's hey willpower's latest music video, "Hundredaire" - which features the in-your-bedroom dance moves Will mentions in his interview.

And watch the video interview with Will after the jump...

Daily Buzz Bits: Goldfrapp Disses Kylie Minogue; Jesse Heats Up Instinct

Goldfrapp’s next single is called "Happiness," but Alison's scoff of Kylie Minogue and Madonna makes me feel something called "Hatred." – Boy Culture

It turns out Project Runway runner-up Rami Kashou’s "friend" Tim Gunn met was, in fact, the designer’s boyfriend. - HX

Break me off a piece of that Jesse Brune! The Work Out foodie/hottie will be on April’s Instinct. - Instinct

Britney Spears looks like her old self on the set of How I Met Your Mother ... what gives? – Dlisted

Details is still not a gay magazine ... despite this comparison to The Advocate ... and in other news, Ryan Seacrest is on the new cover. - Queerty

I can’t express how much I love Charlize Theron. Please watch her call the MTV movie guy a mother-f*cker and Jason Bateman a talentless hack with a tight ass. – Gawker

NewNowNext NOISE Interviews Crunk Lesbian Band omg MICHELLE!

You don't know Michelle? Well, now's your chance: John Polly chatted up the girls - and guy - in Brooklyn before their crazy-hot performance. omg MICHELLE! - follow that link to hear the amazing "You Don't Know Michelle" track - consists of longtime friends Alisa, Chaydha, Helen, Melanie and Tami, along with gay producer/DJ Kingdom.

The group had plenty to say on its crunk-'90s-Atlanta-Latin-just-about-everything sound ... and they pick the gayest member of a very queer group.

Watch the video interview after the jump!

Rosie O'Donnell Delivers Cruise for American Idol Castoff Danny Noriega

-- Dan McCallum from AfterElton.com

There are some folks that no matter how much Dramamine they take find the thought of a Rosie O'Donnell video blog post nauseating; well stock up kiddies because to top it all off, her latest vlog is set on the high seas and has some camera work that puts Cloverfield and Blair Witch to shame.

Thankfully a newly out and proud young man is onboard to settle our stomachs!  It looks like American Idol castoff Danny Noriega was thrown a life vest and that Rosie delivered on her video blog promise of taking the Tainted Loverboy along. 

For some reason I can't stop wondering if young Danny will be forced to sketch Rosie with nothing but The Heart of the Ocean necklace on while pounding his chest and belting out "My Heart Will Go On" over and over again.

Good for Danny Noriega!  I'm glad he took Rosie up on her offer and that he's getting the chance to broaden his horizons and be exposed to a loving, supporting (if not captive) audience.  Plus, he's sailing with AfterElton Vlogger and Comedian Ant and Ross "The Intern" Mathews!

Gay Rocker Bob Mould Interview for NewNowNext NOISE!

This week NewNowNext NOISE has a got a special interview with gay rock star Bob Mould! John Polly chats up the alt-punk icon about his new album, District Line, as well as adding synthetic elements to his guitar stylings and his days in Husker-Du in the ‘80s and in Sugar in the ‘90s.

Watch it all after the jump!

Daily Buzz Bits: Rosie Supports Clay Aiken; Jodie Foster Not in Love?

I kinda like Ferras’ debut album cover … especially compared to the recent string of awfulness from Madonna-Ashlee-Britney. - Towleroad

Did Jodie Foster just take back her “soft coming out”? ...She's not in love? - Just Jared

Rosie O’Donnell supported her ... "people?" and took this totally hetero shot with Clay Aiken at Spamalot in NYC. - Page Six

Interview magazine’s new editor Christopher Bollen is a hot “gay fashion template.” – Gawker

GLAAD-approved gossip mag US Weekly is running a favorite couple poll – and TR Knight’s right behind Rihanna for first. - Queerty

They’ve got to stop messing with my Pussycat Dolls ... I can't take it anymore. Thank god that Audrina from The Hills thing was a rumor. - USmagazine

Daily Buzz Bits: "4 Minutes" Cover; Britney Spears Gets Animated

MOG spoke with R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe on Accelerate and the media treatment of his coming out. - MOG.com. And Accelerate will stream on Facebook a week before its release. - NME

Madonna’s “4 Minutes” single cover is looking a little low-budge; is that the trend these days or what? - Dlisted

JK Rowling spoke on the Dumbledore-being-gay ruckus and on homophobia - mainly, it’s based in a fear of love, not of sex. - Towleroad

Britney Spears’ label finds new and creative ways to get around the whole Britney-herself aspect of Britney’s career - and for her upcoming “Break the Ice” video, they went with animation! - Just Jared

Meh. Why do I think TR Knight and Katherine Heigl are cuter together than TR and this new boyfriend? - TMZ

How I Met Your Unfit Mother: Neil Patrick Harris on Britney's Guest Spot

-- Brian Juergens from AfterElton.com

Neil Patrick Harris popped up on Entertainment Tonight talking about the upcoming Britney Spears guest-spot on his sitcom How I Met Your Mother. Watch closely for a crash course in how to diplomatically answer questions about someone whose reputation is clearly in the toilet without sounding mean. Aside from his referring to Brit as "... Madam? Spears?" this has to be my favorite line: "It'll be very unlike any Britney we've seen before ... and we've seen a lot of Britneys recently!"

He also muses on whether the whole batsh*t-crazy-Cheeto-fueled-head-shaving thing might just be an act. Oh, the kids these days with their optimism!

(I couldn't figure out how to stop the clip from playing on its own, so I moved it to after the jump. Check it out!)

The Best Lesbian-ish Music Videos

-- browne from AfterEllen.com

Despite the fact that my father refers to them as “chewing-gum for the eyes,” I admit I love watching music videos. A good video can make me like a song I wasn’t that keen on when I heard it on the radio; a really bad one can put me off a song I thought I liked. But they have to be bad indeed in order to get me to switch off altogether.

Despite all that, I’m aware of a pervasive lack in the majority of music videos. Where — amidst all the heterosexual bumping and grinding and declarations of love — are the lesbians?

Oh, Snap! Tilda Swinton Does OUT Magazine Cover!

Via Boy Culture, get a load of Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton on the cover of OUT! Jeez, could we be any more obsessed with her lately? (John Polly even named her his Movie Actress He Might Swing For.)

The always gay-friendly actress - she did many movies with late, gay director Derek Jarman - spoke with the mag (before her Oscar win) for its April transgender issue. She said although she values much about her upbringing...

"I had to make a departure very, very early, and maybe that's the real key to why I feel very much at home in the gay community."

Yup! Candis Cayne also graced the pages of OUT's special trans issue...Check after the jump for more pictures of Candis ... and of Tilda!

Grizzly Bear Performs "Knife" on Late Late Show

From their Yellow House album, the boys of Grizzly Bear gave a lovely "Knife" performance for Craig Ferguson - complete with new bizarre-o mustaches! The song's still full of whisp-y, folk-y goodness, of course - but I must say, hearing those wailings is better than seeing the facial expressions that go into them.

Whatever - Grizzly Bear is great - and lead singer Ed Droste is totally gay. (Follow that link to read his interview with AfterElton.com.) And check out The Bears' latest - and weirdest - music video for "Central and Remote" after the jump.

NewNowNext NOISE Gay Pop-Culture Video Blog! "Who We'd Date" Edition!

Love is in the semi-springtime air on NewNowNext NOISE this week! John and I, inspired by that EW.com piece, pick out who in pop-culture, TV and music we would choose to date.

We've got a lot to cover - from actual gay singers and actors to a few of our straight-guy fantasies ... there are a couple of women we'd swing for, too. We even make picks from our own LOGO-sphere. Eek! Kinda embarrassing for us - fun for you!

Watch the video blog after the jump...

True Colors 2008 Concert Tour Has a Fierce, Gay-Loving Lineup!

Yes, performers/hosts Cyndi Lauper, Rosie O'Donnell and Carson Kressley are all insanely excited for True Colors 2008! Last year's concert tour was a total success, so we're all more than ready for Round 2 - which kicks off Pride Month on May 31. Logo is once again sponsoring the tour, a partnership with the HRC, and the rotating lineup will take on 24 cities across the country.

But the big question, Who's playing where? And who's playing?? Major acts include Wanda Sykes, Tegan and Sara, Regina Spektor, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Joan Armatrading, Indigo Girls, Nona Hendryx, Deborah Cox and The Cliks.

Even more True Colors buzz after the jump!

Tegan and Sara's Plan on Side-Project with AFI

AFI's Hunter Burgan played bass for lesbian twin sisters Tegan and Sara (follow that link for their interview with NewNowNext!) since he fell for them and their sound in 2004 - courtesy of their album, So Jealous. Wait - can you believe those two have put out five albums?

Well, back to the point: Hunter recorded with T & S for their The Con album - the girls are still on tour over in Europe somewhere in support - and he plans to work with them on an "electronic-based side project" according to an interview with Spinner. Oooh - I'm intrigued...
 

Tegan told Spinner...

"We don't actually have a name, which is kind of funny. We wanted to call it Tegan vs. Hunter but we both have projects and bands, obviously, with our names already. So we were kind of like, 'I don't know what we're going to call it.'"

Some Tegan and Sara videos for ya after the jump...

Flawless! The Ones' Debut Album Launches Today!

NY-based dance-music group The Ones is ready for its official - and flawless - debut: Their first, self-titled album comes out today ... although surely you've heard Paul, Jojo and Nashom's previous dance favorites "Flawless" and "Superstar" by now, yes?

Along with New York production team A Touch of Class and management Peace Bisquit, The Ones' new project is, as they call it, an "homage to the heady mix that was the influential '80s/'90s underground NYC sound." You can hear new singles "I Feel Upside Down" and "When We Get Together" on the group's MySpace page. And by the way, members Paul and Nashom each wrote Black History Month guest blogs for NewNowNext! Thanks, guys - y'all are fierce!

NewNowNext NOISE! Trans-Fest Interview with Justin Bond!

For this week's NewNowNext NOISE video blog, John P. takes a field trip to the East Village's Performance Space 122 to interview legendary trans performer Justin Bond - a.k.a. one-half of Kiki & Herb - about Justin's new show, Lustre: A Midwinter Trans-Fest.

Prepare to be enlightened - if you were clueless like me - as Justin and fellow-Lustre performer/musical director Our Lady J discuss their cabaret show, trans issues and frustrating pronouns. And later, a few more Lustre performers stop in!

Watch the video interview after the jump!

Adamo Ruggiero Opens up, and Marco is the Focus of This Week's Degrassi

-- Lyle Masaki from AfterElton.com

Recently out actor